How to Go Green: Back To Basics

The future is green, and you just found it. These days you probably feel flooded by dire-sounding environmental news ("the Earth is set to deflate by 2011") and endless suggestions for greener living ("algae cold-fusion reactors for your shoes"). But fret not. We're here to help sort things out and get your eco show on the road. Here, we bring it back to basics and break it down into bite sized chunks of simple, everyday ways to live a greener, healthier, more ethical (and ultimately more fun) life. So read on. And remember, if you have a friend, relative, or colleague who needs a little help on the green front, send them this way.

Top Back to Basics Tips

Educate yourselfHow can you solve the problem if you don't know what the problem is? Luckily, fun, accessible information on green thinking, environmentalism and sustainable living is everywhere these days. Why not start with online sources like our very own guide for How to Go Green. Other websites like Grist, Ideal Bite or Worldchanging also offer great advice and different perspectives. If you prefer the print media, check out magazines like Plenty, Good, or UTNE http://www.utne.com/. And if you're not much of a reader, documentaries like An Inconvenient Truth, Who Killed the Electric Car?, or the BBC's Planet Earth are also a good place to start.

TransportHaving got a little reading under your belt, you're probably itching to get started. One of the biggest impacts we have on the planet is a direct result of the way we move ourselves around. Fortunately, for many of us, this is also easy to do something about. You might consider walking, biking or using mass transit, at least a few days a week. Maybe you can convince your boss to let you work from home? Maybe you can carpool with a friend? If nothing else, you should certainly consider fuel consumption as a major factor in your choice of next vehicle. And when it comes to longer trips, flying is notoriously carbon intensive - so let the train take the strain wherever possible. Find a greener route from A to B with How to Green Your Car, and our Cars and Transportation section.

EnergyWith all the talk of solar panels, fuel cells, building-integrated wind turbines, and flux capacitors, it can be easy to think you need a million bucks to go green at home. Not so. Many of the most effective ways to cut carbon emissions are also the cheapest. Turn lights off when you go out, install energy efficient bulbs and appliances, insulate your home, and keep an eye on consumption. Once you've done all that, why not investigate if you can buy green energy from your local utility? Check out our guides on How to Green Your Heating and How to Green Your Electricity for a more detailed plunge.

Water

This is where the folks in Seattle or the UK start switching off, but stay with us, please! Even if you live in areas of abundant rainfall, water is still a major ecological issue. Clean, drinkable water is precious and needs to be used most efficiently. Every drop of tap water we use also requires energy to filter, purify and transport, and that means fossil fuel emissions. And for those of you in dryer areas, you know only too well that water is becoming an ever-scarcer resource. Fortunately it's pretty easy to do something about--install water-saving shower heads and aerators, turn the tap off when you're brushing your teeth, switch to more efficient appliances, or collect rainwater for use in the garden. All this and more can be found in our guide, How to Green Your Water. For those wanting to go a little more hardcore, the Navy Shower, or the "selective flush" are worth a try--if the comments on these posts are anything to go by, you'll be in good company!

FoodWe've all got to eat, and most of us do it every day. It stands to reason that our collective food choices have a huge impact on the planet, and with the global food industry shipping products further and further around the world, and with farming becoming ever more intensive, this impact is only getting bigger. Fortunately, there is a resistance underway. More and more people are getting interested in sustainable food systems. To bring it back to basics, there are four principles that can help guide you to greener meals: eat local, eat seasonal, eat organic, and finally, eat less meat. For a comprehensive guide to a more sustainable diet, check out How to Green Your Meals and the Food and Health category.

WasteNot so many years ago, waste was THE environmental issue. If you recycled, you were green. If you didn't, you weren't. With so many topics on the environmental agenda these days, things aren't so simple. But waste is still a big deal. Every item thrown away has taken energy and resources to manufacture and transport, and it will take even more energy and resources to process and dispose of, whether through landfill or recycling. So the old adage still rings true: reduce, reuse, recycle. And don't forget to compost! Of course we have a guide on How to Green Your Recycling, and you can find it here. Online resources like Freecycle or Ebay can also help you find a happy home your unwanted goods.

ThreadsMost folks understand that food, energy, water, and transport are major environmental factors, but what about clothing? Even consumers who always eat organic may happily be wearing garments that were liberally sprayed with noxious chemicals. Cotton is, in fact, one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet, so it stands to reason that our choice of clothing can have a major ecological impact. Fortunately, solutions are out there. Organic cotton, and other alternative fabrics like hemp, flax or bamboo are becoming increasingly common, as are high-end fashion items from recycled materials. And then, of course, there are the trusty vintage and thrift stores so beloved by students everywhere--style never goes out of fashion. More digging through the racks can be found in our Fashion and Beauty and How to Green Your Wardrobe.

Personal careEver since The Body Shop first hit the high street in the Eighties, there's been an increased awareness about the impacts of personal care products on both the environment and on our health. Fortunately, there has also been a huge increase in the number of companies providing more sustainable alternatives. Check out our guide to women's personal care and the Fashion and Beauty section, and stay tuned for a guide for the fellas. But remember, less is almost always more when it comes to green living--that hemp-based, yak's milk lip blusher may be the greenest product of its kind on the market, but going 'au natural' takes you one step further!

Furniture & décorMany of us spend staggering amounts of money on furniture during our lifetime. Now most TreeHugger's will be aware that buying tropical hardwoods from Amazonian clear-cuts is a poor way to look after our natural heritage, but what are the alternatives? Fortunately, the industry is responding to concerns about its sourcing practices, and stylish furniture from certified, sustainably harvested and/or recycled and salvaged materials is becoming increasingly common. More details can be found in our furniture guide and in the Design and Architecture category.

Keep it cleanNow you've spent all this time putting your house in order with organic clothing and chemical-free furniture, why douse it in chemicals to keep it clean? Many everyday cleaning products are made up of pretty nasty constituents, yet there are natural alternatives that work just as well. Take a look at our How to Green Your Cleaning.

Back to Basics: Getting Techie

What is "sustainability"?Sustainability has many definitions, but it is most commonly described as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," according to Wikipedia.

LOHASis an acronym for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability, a term used to describe the market segment interested in green and natural living products, organics, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and socially responsible investing. According to Wikipedia, it is a market worth $227 billion in the United States alone.

If the "hot glacier on glacier action" in An Inconvenient whet your appetite for the complicated, often confusing world of climate science, there can be no better place to start than Real Climate--it's much more stimulating than you might think.

Techie WizardryEqually, if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in thin-film solar, hydrogen fuel cells, wind energy, heat pumps, or any other techie wizardry, look no further than our friends at Renewable Energy Access.

Not sure you can free yourself from car culture? If these folks can do it in LA, we can all take steps in the right direction at least. Even if you don't feel you can go cold turkey, take a look at our guide on how to green your car for easy steps in the right direction.

Wanting to grown your own food? Why not explore the concept of permaculture? Check out our posts here, here, and here.

And for those who still think eco is all about nuts and berries,take a look at our legendary and very naughty guide to greening your sex life.

Further Reading on Getting Back to Basics

Get even more info on getting back to basics from these other worthwhile sources.How to Go Green offers accessible daily posts, hints and advice on how to green your life. You'd also do well to check out the drilldown in TreeHugger Picks.

Similarly, Ideal Bite is known for good, green info that's easy to assimilate.

For a more philosophical angle, check out Tao of Change. [Full disclosure: This TreeHugger also works with, and occasionally posts on, the Tao of Change].

Worsted Witch and Green La Girl are always excellent sources of information on all things fab and green, especially relating to Fair Trade.

The future is green, and you just found it. These days you probably feel flooded by dire-sounding environmental news ("the Earth is set to deflate by 2011") and endless suggestions for greener living ("algae cold-fusion reactors for your shoes"). But